3 days tour to
Khunjirapo Pass (China-Pakistan border)
Day 1,
Kashgar to Tashkorgan
Our
experienced local guide and driver will pick you up from your Hotel at
7:00am local time or any desired time you wish, before we set out along the
Sino Pakistan (Karakorum Highway) which is one of the most beautiful
highways in the world. After an hour of
driving we stop in Opal village to buy fresh fruit and Naan bread and
finally enter into the surreal glaciated scenery of the Karakorum Highway.
Entering
the world of the Kunlun Shan is an opportunity to experience one of the last
truly unexplored places on Earth. The hues and colours of some of the
world’s highest mountain ranges dominate every horizon on your journey
towards Karakul Lake – The Kunlun Shan is known to contain 148 different
kinds of minerals. About 125Km from Kashgar City, we must stop to check
passports at a checkpoint before stopping at an ancient Caravan Sarai
(former camping place of camping place for Silk Road Caravans).
Karakul
Lake lies not long after. On the way keep a sharp look out for Kyrgyz
Nomadic herds, small mountain and the hued mass of Sandy Mountain all
accented by the high colorful peaks of the Kunlun mountain range. By lunch
time we reach Karakul Lake and have lunch at a lake side restaurant there.
Karakul
Lake (which means great lake) sits at the feet of the notorious Muztagh Ata
(7546m) and Kongur (7719m) mountains. ‘Muztagh Ata’ means Father of the Ice
Mountain and is one the most beautiful and mysterious mountains in the
world. After lunch at by the lake, we push on to Tashkorgan, itself once an
important hub on the old Silk Road. This whole area around the Tajik town
borders Pakistan and Afghanistan and is connected to them via the Khunjerab
Pass.
On
the way into Tashkorgan there are many Tajik villages and nomadic herdsman
by the roadside. In the town you’ll have an opportunity to see the town's
ancient stone fort - still standing after 1800 years! Tashkurgan is actually
a translation of ‘Stone Fort.’ While there we also recommend you also visit
the Tashkurgan Historical and Cultural museum. Then we’ll take a walk around
the local pastoral land and villages of this historic town. This is a
fantastic opportunity to try traditional Tajik food and immerse yourself in
the culture of the Tajik community. In addition, Tashkurgan is surrounded
by mountains and grasslands providing a great backdrop to the matchless life
of the highlands. Spend the night in Tashkorgan’s top Pamir Hotel.
Day 2
Tashkorgan to Khunjerab Pass, then to
Karakul Lake
Leave
for the Khunjerab Pass at 8:00am local time and travel 130Km from Tashkorgan
into the peaks atop the nearby Karakorum Mountain Range. It takes 1.5 hours
to summit the pass and it’s an experience that shouldn’t be missed.
Entering into an amphitheatre of fluted peaks atop the highest international
border in the world, you’re in a place few people on Earth can ever claim to
have been. Khunjerab means ‘Valley of Blood’ in Uighur. Many Caravans once
died summiting this pass on the old Silk Road and the area was famous for
brigands and bandits. On top, you’ll also have opportunity to take your
photo with the friendly Pakistani guards at the border.
We’ll
set off back to Karakul lake whenever you’re done and
stay overnight in the yurt of a local Kyrgyz family, which is a great
opportunity to experience the life of local people and temporarily slot into
the life of another world.
Day 3
Karakul Lake to Kashgar
Get up
early in the morning to welcome the sunrise between the Kongur and Muztagh
Ata peaks above your yurt. Eat a typical Kyrgyz breakfast and walk around
Karakul Lake. Distance around the lake is around 13 kms and takes between
3 to 4 hours. We can also visit Subash village which is about 7km from
Karakul Lake if you desire. Concluding our morning excursion, we return
back to Kashgar in the afternoon after lunch. Return journey should take
3.5 hours.
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us